SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Samford’s Natalie Armstrong has been named the Southern Conference women’s basketball player of the week presented by GEICO for games played Jan. 14-20 after scoring a career-high 28 points and shooting 92.3 percent in the Bulldogs’ lone game of the week, a 72-64 win over Mercer on Jan. 18. The award is selected by the league office.
 
The center’s 28 points came in just 28 minutes of play. Armstrong finished an impressive 12-for-13 from the floor and went 4-for-6 from the free-throw line. The junior also pulled down five rebounds in Samford’s first win over Mercer since the Bears joined the league in 2014-15.
 
In league play, Armstrong leads all scorers, averaging 22.3 points per game, over seven points more than anyone else in the conference. The native of Norcross, Georgia, is shooting 58.7 percent in league games, good enough for second.
 
Samford (7-11, 2-1 SoCon) remains at home for the next two games, hosting Chattanooga (4-14, 3-1) on Thursday, Jan. 23, and ETSU (6-13, 1-3) on Saturday, Jan. 25.
 
Also nominated: Taylor Petty (Furman), Shannon Titus (Mercer), Te’ja Twitty (UNC Greensboro), Eboni Williams (Chattanooga), Tembre Moates (Western Carolina) and Chloe Wanink (Wofford).
 
SoCon Women’s Basketball Players of the Week presented by GEICO
Nov. 12 – Erica Haynes-Overton, Jr., G, ETSU
Nov. 19 – Jewel Smalls, So., G, Western Carolina
Nov. 26 – Nadine Soliman, Sr., G, UNCG
Dec. 3 – Jewel Smalls, So., G, Western Carolina
Dec. 10 – Tierra Hodges, R-Jr., G/F, Furman
Dec. 17 – Nadine Soliman, Sr., G, UNCG
Dec. 24 – Le’Jzae Davidson, Sr., G, Furman
Jan. 7 – Jaron Dougherty, So., F, Mercer
Jan. 14 – Tierra Hodges, R-Jr., G/F, Furman
Jan. 21 – Natalie Armstrong, Jr., C, Samford